The basic premise of applied psychology is the use of psychological principles and theories to overcome problems in other areas. This classic five-part series studies aspects of criminal prosecution, childcare, stress management, eating disorders, and situational ethics through the lens of psychology.

There are five programs in the series:

EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY: Psychological AspectsEyewitness testimony remains one of the most important sources of evidence in criminal investigations. Even in cases where there is only eyewitness evidence, 75 percent result in a conviction. This three-section program weighs the reliability of eyewitness testimony and what this reveals about the nature of memory itself. It also examines the concept of schemas and the nature of constructive memory, illustrates the effect of leading questions and the planting of false information, and looks at three ways to improve eyewitness testimony: the cognitive interview, police reconstructions, and hypnosis. 29 minutes

DAYCARE: Psychological Impacts on Child Development As the number of two-earner families continues to rise, the demand for daycare is increasing. Filmed at a nursery, this three-section program discusses some of the possible impacts of daycare on children’s long-term development. Parents, caregivers, and psychology experts express their views about the effects of daycare on attachment; about children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development; and about a growing understanding that time spent in daycare is of as much concern, psychologically speaking, as the quality of that care. The program concludes with insights into what might be done to help parents combine work and child care more effectively. 28 minutes

STRESS MANAGEMENT: Psychological Counseling Stress has been called the most prevalent disease of modern society: an epidemic brought about by the pace of modern life and the pressure to succeed in a climate of increasing job insecurity. But what exactly is stress? How do medical and psychological approaches to stress management differ? And what psychological strategies - behavioral, cognitive, and organizational - are available to combat stress? This three-section program concentrates on the field of psychological counseling as it answers these questions. The video also addresses criticisms of what some are calling the stress management industry. 28 minutes

EATING DISORDERS: Mind, Body, and Society Anorexia. Bulimia. Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of all psychiatric conditions. After defining eating disorders from a clinical point of view, this three-section program explores possible underlying biological bases for eating disorders; considers sociocultural influences on young adults that equate "thin" with "good"; and questions to what extent eating disorders may originate within the family structure. The program concludes with a look at treatments of eating disorders. 28 minutes

OBEDIENCE AND ETHICS: Benefits and Costs of Psychological Conformity Studies Psychological experiments have shown that the natural human desire to conform can lead people to mistrust their own experiences, turn a blind eye to the suffering of others, and even inflict harm on the defenseless. But these findings have come at a price: the potential emotional damage of those being studied. This three-section program grapples with some of the thorny ethical issues arising from psychological research into obedience and conformity as it questions the ethicality of Stanley Milgram’s Study of Obedience; uses a proposed student project on bullying to address the need for ethical constraints when conducting experiments; and weighs the benefits and costs of increased ethical regulation of research. 30 minutes